Starting your journey in early childhood education

Beginning your career as an early childhood educator is an exciting time. It's also a time of learning, uncertainty and discovering what kind of educator you want to become.

You may have completed your studies, undertaken placements and developed a strong understanding of the principles that underpin quality early childhood education.

But stepping into your first role brings a different kind of learning.

Suddenly, you're navigating relationships with colleagues, responding to the needs of children and families, managing daily routines and finding your place within an established team.

There will be moments when you feel confident and others when you question yourself.

That's to be expected.

What matters is having a foundation that helps you navigate these early experiences with intention.

The centre you choose, the people you learn from, the conversations you participate in and the values you hold on to will all influence your developing professional identity.

So, what should you consider as you begin?

1. Choosing your first centre: Look beyond the job offer

Your first centre can have a significant influence on how you experience the profession.

It is where you begin to translate theory into practice, develop your confidence and learn what it means to work as part of an early childhood team.

When exploring employment opportunities, take the time to consider more than the position itself.

Pay attention to how the environment feels.

How do educators interact with children?

Are children's voices heard and respected?

How do educators respond when a child is distressed or struggling with their emotions?

Do colleagues speak respectfully to one another?

Does the service philosophy appear to be reflected in everyday practice?

A philosophy statement might describe a commitment to relationships, inclusion and children's agency, but it's worth looking closely at how those commitments are lived throughout the day.

Ask questions during your interview.

How are new educators supported during their first few months?

What opportunities are available for mentoring and professional learning?

How does the team approach reflective practice?

What happens when educators have different perspectives about practice?

You are not looking for a centre where everything is perfect. No early childhood setting is without challenges.

You are looking for an environment where people are willing to learn, reflect, communicate respectfully and work together.

Your first workplace should be somewhere you can develop your skills without feeling that you need to leave your values at the door.

2. Find a mentor who helps you grow

One of the most valuable relationships you can develop as a new educator is with a mentor.

A good mentor is not simply someone who tells you what to do or provides an answer whenever you are unsure.

They are someone who helps you think.

They make space for your questions, encourage you to reflect and support you in developing your own professional judgement.

A mentor might be an experienced educator within your centre, your educational leader or another early childhood professional whose approach you respect.

Look for someone who demonstrates the values you want to strengthen in your own practice.

Someone who remains curious about children's behaviour rather than immediately judging it.

Someone who can acknowledge when they have made a mistake.

Someone who is willing to explain the reasoning behind their decisions.

And importantly, someone who encourages you to develop your own voice.

You might ask:

Could we spend some time talking about how you approach challenging situations with children? I'd really value the opportunity to learn from your experience.

Mentoring doesn't always need to be a formal arrangement.

Sometimes it begins with a conversation after a challenging morning or a thoughtful question about why a particular approach was used.

The important thing is finding someone who supports your growth rather than expecting you to simply copy their practice.

And remember, experience alone doesn't automatically make someone the right mentor for you.

Consider the values, relationships and professional behaviours they demonstrate.

Learn from people who help you become a thoughtful educator, not simply a more experienced one.

3. Be mindful of negative workplace conversations

Every workplace has challenging days.

There will be frustrations about routines, staffing, communication and the many demands of early childhood education.

Educators need opportunities to talk about these challenges, seek support and raise genuine concerns.

But there is a difference between constructive professional conversation and ongoing negative talk.

You may find yourself in conversations where colleagues regularly criticise children, complain about families, dismiss other educators or speak negatively about the centre.

As a new educator, it can be tempting to join in.

You want to belong.

You want to build relationships with your colleagues.

You may feel that agreeing with others is simply part of becoming accepted within the team.

But consider what these conversations are teaching you.

If a child is regularly described as naughty, difficult or attention-seeking, how might that influence the way you begin to see them?

If families are spoken about with frustration or judgement, how might that shape your relationships with them?

If colleagues are criticised rather than supported, what does that communicate about the team's professional culture?

The language we use influences the way we think about others.

And the way we think influences how we respond.

This doesn't mean ignoring problems, pretending everything is fine or remaining silent when something needs to be addressed.

There are times when speaking up is an important professional and ethical responsibility, particularly when children's safety, rights or wellbeing are involved.

It means learning to distinguish between conversations that move practice forward and conversations that simply reinforce negativity.

You can acknowledge a colleague's frustration without joining in with disrespectful comments.

You might gently redirect the conversation:

It sounds like it's been a challenging morning. I wonder what we could try differently to support the child?

Or:

Have we had an opportunity to talk with the family about what might be happening?

You don't need to challenge every comment or position yourself as the person who has all the answers.

But you can make conscious decisions about the conversations you contribute to.

Protect your professional perspective. Stay curious about children, respectful towards families and thoughtful about the language you use.

4. Stay connected to your WHY

Before you began your career, something drew you towards early childhood education.

Perhaps it was a desire to support children's development.

Perhaps you believe strongly in the importance of the early years.

Perhaps you wanted to create environments where children feel safe, connected, valued and understood.

Whatever your reasons, take the time to explore them.

What do you believe about children?

What kind of relationships do you want to build?

How do you want children to feel when they are with you?

What values do you want to guide your decisions?

Your WHY becomes particularly important when you encounter practices that don't quite align with what you believe.

You might observe an educator responding to behaviour in a way that makes you uncomfortable.

You might notice that a routine prioritises efficiency over children's individual needs.

You may feel pressure to adopt an approach simply because everyone else uses it.

These experiences can be difficult when you're new and still developing your confidence.

It's important to remain open to learning and recognise that there may be factors you don't yet understand.

Ask questions.

Seek guidance.

Explore the reasoning behind a decision.

But don't assume that something is good practice simply because it has been happening for a long time.

Your professional knowledge, values and ethical responsibilities matter, even when you're new.

Staying connected to your WHY doesn't mean believing that you already know everything.

It means being willing to learn while continuing to question whether your actions reflect your commitments to children.

You can respect the experience of others without abandoning your own professional values.

5. Give yourself permission to be a learner

There can be an enormous amount of pressure on new educators to prove themselves.

You may feel that you should already know how to manage every situation, communicate confidently with families and respond effectively to every child's needs.

But becoming a skilled educator takes time.

Your qualification provides an important foundation. Your professional knowledge will continue to develop through experience, reflection, relationships and ongoing learning.

You won't always know what to do.

There will be situations that challenge your thinking.

You will make decisions that you later reconsider.

And there will be days when you wonder whether you're doing enough.

Rather than viewing these moments as evidence that you're not suited to the profession, consider what they might teach you.

What happened?

What were you noticing?

How did the child respond?

What might you approach differently next time?

Who could help you explore the situation?

Being a reflective educator means recognising that learning doesn't end when you complete your studies.

In fact, some of your most meaningful professional learning may happen when you begin to question an approach you once believed was effective.

Seek feedback from people you trust.

Ask for clarification when you're unsure.

Take responsibility when something hasn't gone well.

And allow yourself to recognise the progress you're making.

You don't need to have all the answers to be a thoughtful, capable and committed educator.

You do need to remain willing to learn.

6. Find your voice, even when you're the newest person in the room

Being new to a team can make it difficult to speak up.

You may worry about asking too many questions or challenging an established practice.

You might feel that your perspective carries less weight because you have less experience.

But being new doesn't mean your observations are without value.

You bring current learning, fresh perspectives and your own experiences with children and families.

These contributions can be valuable to a team that is willing to reflect.

Finding your professional voice doesn't mean becoming confrontational or assuming your perspective is always correct.

It means learning how to participate in respectful professional dialogue.

You might begin by asking:

Can you help me understand why we approach it this way?

Or:

I've been thinking about how the children are responding to this routine. Could we explore some other possibilities?

These questions invite conversation rather than creating opposition.

As your confidence grows, so will your ability to explain your thinking, contribute to decisions and advocate for practices that support children's wellbeing.

Remember, however, that not every concern can be resolved through an informal conversation. If you observe something that raises concerns about children's safety or rights, seek appropriate guidance and follow the relevant reporting and safeguarding procedures.

Your responsibility to children remains important regardless of how long you have been working in the profession.

Your professional journey is just beginning

Your first centre will not define your entire career.

Neither will your first challenging experience, your first mistake or the moments when you feel uncertain.

What will matter is how you continue to learn, the relationships you build and the values you choose to carry forward.

Surround yourself with people who encourage reflection and professional growth.

Be mindful of the conversations that shape your thinking.

Stay open to different perspectives without losing sight of your ethical responsibilities.

And keep your curiosity alive.

Be curious about the children you work with, the environments you create and the possibilities that emerge when you give children time and space to explore.

Remember that the way you practise will continue to evolve.

You may change centres, discover new approaches and develop a deeper understanding of children and their experiences.

Your WHY may become clearer as you grow.

But keep returning to the questions that matter.

Am I creating an environment where children feel safe, respected and connected?

Am I making space for children's curiosity, ideas and discoveries?

Do my everyday decisions reflect what I believe about children?

Am I becoming the kind of educator I hoped to be?

You don't need to have your entire career mapped out.

Start by choosing environments, relationships and practices that support the educator you want to become.

Stay curious. Find your people. Keep learning. And don't lose sight of why you began.

Janine Kelly is the founder of Stepping Stones Professional Development, supporting early childhood educators and services to strengthen their practice through connection, relationships and reflection.

Her work encourages educators to understand children's behaviour, support emotional regulation and bring their professional values into everyday practice.

At the heart of her approach is a simple belief: Connection is at the heart of practice.